Breaking: Chelsea target confirms he will be at Arsenal next season

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Petr Cech says he has had no contact with Chelsea about a return to his former club and is fully focused on remaining Arsenal’s No. 1 this season.

Cech is entering the final year of his contract with Arsenal but is facing added competition from summer signing Bernd Leno for the starting role. Both goalkeepers are in Singapore with the Arsenal squad on their preseason tour, and Cech said he fully expects to remain at the club for the next year.

“I have a contract with Arsenal. I am concentrating on this season, on the competition between the goalkeepers because we have plenty of options,” Cech told reporters after a training session. “I’m doing my best to show to the manager that I can be in the starting lineup when the season starts. That’s my aim and as for the speculation, I don’t really follow it.”

According to the Arseblog website, Cech was asked directly if there has been any contact with Chelsea, and answered: “No.”

Cech was also asked to compare the situation to when Chelsea brought in Thibaut Courtois, which led to him becoming the back-up and eventually leaving for Arsenal in 2016.

“It has happened many times in my career,” Cech said about getting added competition. “As I said, the only thing you can do is work hard and force your way through to the starting lineup.

“In football, there is no sentiments about this. We have just got to do our job and see.”

Cech also insisted that the whole Arsenal team is fully behind Mesut Ozil after his decision to quit the German national team and issue a statement saying he had been subjected to racism and disrespect.

“As a team we support him here, we try to make sure he feels good, so he can train and perform at his best.” Cech said. As a team that’s all we can do. Obviously his decision is his decision and everyone should respect that.

“He’s training really well, he’s happy to be with us and we’re happy to have him back as well because he is one of the key players in our team and we need him to be fit and ready for the season. He has been working really hard so hopefully he will be fit.”